Microsoft will not sell boxed Windows 8 in China

In an effort to curb the piracy of their products in the nation, Microsoft has announced they will not offer boxed versions of Windows 8 in China.

If you want to purchase the OS legitimately in the nation, you will need to purchase it digitally or have it pre-installed on a new computer.

"After having talked to many customers, Microsoft has made the decision to simplify the distribution model of Windows in China, by taking all physical Windows media off the market," the company noted.

Although that doesn't make too much sense, Microsoft did add later that the move was made to help protect customers from malware and spyware. Many counterfeit copies sold on the streets include some type of spyware pre-installed.

China has long been one of the world's worst offenders in regards to piracy, with the BSA claiming the illegal software sales market in 2011 totaled $9 billion compared to $3 billion for legal sales.

By some accounts, pirated Windows copies account for 85 percent of the total Windows copies installed in China.

9 user comments

Slackdast, I'm sure they will sell pirated copies on the street. However, users will know they are pirated because, by definition, there are no non-pirated disks available in China. Many will buy them anyway, but it certainly ramps up the pressure on the Chinese goverment a bit because the government can't feign uncertainty about whether the disks are pirated.

Er... ok so we are going to make it harder for our product to penetrate a market all the while doing nothing to stop piracy....oh wait making it harder to buy makes it harder to pirate....right....right....

Copyright infringement is nothing more than civil disobedience to a bad set of laws. Lets renegotiate them.